Grieving mom says school never told her of bullying before son’s suicide

A North Carolina mother who lost her 12-year-old son to suicide has accused the school district of not telling her that the teen was being bullied.

Mother Sharon McDonald told WNCN that her son, Logan, ended his life on August 15, 2017, just as he entered the seventh grade.

“Mike and I were having our morning coffee and checking our emails and stuff. Logan was down here getting ready. When I went around the corner he was on the floor,” she recalled.

Before his death, Sharon said Logan appeared moody and more tired than usual. However, having three other sons, she believed it was typical for boys his age.

“He was our clown. He loved to make everybody laugh,” she said of her late son.

Shannon claimed it wasn’t until after her son died that she learned he was being bullied at Rolesville Middle School and on the school bus. The mother provided WNCN access to Logan’s school records, which reportedly had no mention of him being bullied.

The news station found that Wake County School District’s policy orders staff to report actual and possible violations of bullying policies to a designated employee. Students, parents, visitors, and volunteers are also strongly urged to report bullying or harassment to a school administrator.

The school district reportedly doesn’t require officials to notify the parents of bullied students.

“The school district does indeed expect that parents are notified of incidents of bullying,” Wake County School District Spokesperson Lisa Luten said, failing to acknowledge whether existing policy requires it.

WNCN noted that laws were changed in 2009 and 2012 to acknowledge cyberbullying. Only 16 U.S. states have laws on the books requiring parents be notified of bullying—North Carolina is not one of them.